


Coming Back (is harder than it looks)

by Whisp



Series: Resurrections [2]
Category: Highlander: The Series, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 14:03:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/888119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whisp/pseuds/Whisp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers were still a little weary of their newest member.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Back (is harder than it looks)

**Author's Note:**

> Pssst! You may want to read [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/868828) first.

The Avengers were still pretty weary of their newest member.

Ronin had only been with them for the past month or so and had yet to take off his mask in their presence. He seldom spoke, except with one word answers to their questions and even that was rare.

He was handy with a sword though, and given that he’d saved Tony’s life twice already, they had decided to let him hang around. Plus, Coulson seemed to like him, and Coulson didn’t like anyone. Not since Barton.

On this particular outing, Ronin was holding his own admirably against a slew of reanimated mannequins from Macy’s. By trial and error, they’d discovered that the only way to permanently stop them was to slice off their heads. Ronin turned out to be fantastic at that, lobbing them off with ease regardless of the reinforced plating, and that was something even Steve was having trouble with.

After a quick discussion, the team split up. While Steve and Bruce went to find the source of the attack, Natasha, Tony, and Ronin stayed on the streets fighting. There was a surprising amount of mannequins at Macy’s, enough to keep them well occupied. Most of them were clad in a fantastic assortment of fall fashions. It made for a nice change of scenery. Their usual opponents were so drab.

As a team, they developed a pretty good system. Natasha would distract the mannequin while Tony melted their feet into the ground, which made them easy targets for Ronin, who was following closely behind Tony, his katana flashing through the air. Heads were, literally, rolling everywhere.

Only a few mannequins remained when Ronin turned his back for just long enough for a mannequin to leap on, wrapping its arms and legs tightly around his body. It’s plastic fingers hooked onto his face and neck, hard enough to leave bruises even through the fabric of his mask.

“Holy fuck!” Ronin yelped and rolled forward, trying to dislodge it. He managed to grab a hold of his attacker, but couldn’t get enough leverage to yank it off. The mannequin held on tightly, its blank face only inches away from his head.

Tony immediately held up his hands, palms forward to blast it off. He aimed at the pair rolling on the ground, trying to avoid hitting his teammate. “Dammit, hold still!” He shouted, spraying up chunks of concrete in his efforts.

As soon as he heard Tony’s yell, Ronin stopped fighting, going limp for just long enough for the mannequin to get him pinned, and a split second later, it was blasted off him, flying a couple of feet before it landed.

As it flew off his body, the mannequin maintained its grip, snapping Ronin’s head to the side with an audible crack.

Ronin’s body stilled on the concrete, but there was no time to think about that while they were still surrounded by half a dozen enemies.

Natasha snapped up his sword from where it had fallen and went after the closest one. It took her several swings before she could down it.

Tony changed tactics and got up close, pinning the bodies and blasting until there wasn’t enough material to constitute a head.

Only once it was quiet, did they return to the body of their fallen teammate.

Over the comm, Steve’s voice informed them that the threat had been neutralized.

“You need to get back here ASAP.” Tony informed him grimly. “Ronin’s down, and it’s not looking good.”

“What’s the ETA on medics?”

Natasha crouched next to his body, fingers placed lightly on his neck. She turned to Tony and shook her head.

Tony said slowly, “I don’t think they’re going to be much help.”

Steve swore quietly. “Don’t let anyone on site until I get there.”

Tony agreed and signed off, crouching down next to Natasha. She placed his katana back into his hand, wrapping his fingers around the hilt and laying the blade sideways across his chest. Briefly, she rested her hand, palm flat on his chest before standing and walking away a few feet, her face tight.

A few minutes later, Tony could hear the pounding of running feet against concrete. Steve came up, followed closely by Bruce.

“What happened?” Steve asked Tony and Natasha, while Bruce stepped away, not wanting to hear all the details.

His eyes inevitably drifted over to their fallen teammate, and he regarded him with regret. He’d been hard to approach, but never unfriendly and Bruce wished that they had made more of an effort to get to know the man. He wasn’t even sure if Ronin had any kin, let alone how to contact them.

Suddenly, Bruce frowned and squinted at the body. He thought he saw something, a slight movement, a twitch, and he leaned in to take a closer look and raised his voice to be heard over the others, “Wait, I think—”

The he leaped back, nearly sprawling across the pavement as the body arched up, taking in a huge gasping breath.

Ronin rolled to the side, coughing and struggling to take another breath through the fabric twisted on his face. He clawed at it for a few desperate seconds before finally getting enough purchase to pull it away from his face.

Braced against the pavement, he took several gulping breaths before calming down enough to register his surroundings and he stilled. Hesitantly, he looked up from the ground.

Four shocked faces stared back at him.

“Clint?” Steve asked incredulously.

“Umm.” Clint Barton scratched at the back of his head, his expression borderline sheepish as he said, “… Hey guys.”

“What…?”

“Ok. This looks bad.”

He was abruptly cut off from saying anything more when Natasha stalked forward, kicking the sword out of his hand and pinning him to the ground with an arm thrown across his throat. “Who are you?” She demanded.

“I swear it’s me, Nat.”

“Could be a Skrull.” Tony said.

“Or a shifter.” Bruce added helpfully.

She growled, tightening her hold. “Start talking. Now.”

“Shit.” Clint squeaked out, “Umm, carrots, onset, umbrella, loud, salami, obstacle, night.”

She pulled back, stunned and shaking her head, “How…?”

Clint pushed himself up onto an elbow, rubbing his hand over his neck where the bruises were already fading before their eyes. “It’s a long story. And well, rumou-”

Natasha jabbed her widow‘s bite bruisingly hard into his crotch and narrowed her eyes, “Finish that sentence, and I won‘t be responsible for what happens next.”

“I missed you too, Nat.” Clint said and smiled, relaxing for the first time since he‘d woken.

Her face softened, taking the bite out of her next words. “I’m still going to kill you.”

“…in my defence, it probably won’t take.”

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr - [peppermintwhisp](http://www.tumblr.com/peppermintwhisp)


End file.
